Statement of Community Involvement 2025 Consultation

Method

Use

Participants

Use in Planning Policy?

Use in Development Management?

Letters and emails

Letters and email, including letters sent electronically

Statutory consultees, public bodies, any interested parties

Yes

Yes

Draft documents for comment

Document with response form asking specific questions and providing the opportunity for further comments

Statutory consultees, public bodies, national, regional organisations, any interested parties, individuals

Yes

No

Internet - including website pages supporting the consultation

An effective way to make information available in the public domain. It can be used to facilitate communication through message boards, online groups, and dedicated pages to explain topics and proposals more clearly

Members of the public, individuals, any interested parties

Yes

Yes

Online engagement methods including virtual exhibitions and digital consultations (On-line Digital Portal)

Latest software that makes consultation easier and more straightforward and therefore increases usability for engagement and responses

Members of the public and interested organisations

Yes

Yes

Videos and animations and 3D plus Augmented Reality (AR)

Innovative engagement approaches to simplify and make more user friendly

Members of the public and interested organisations

Yes

Yes

Social media

Interactive online platforms/Social Media including but not limited to, Facebook, Instagram etc. Social media allows for real-time dialogue; virtual site visits and meetings; Q and A sessions and polling

Individuals, general public

Yes

No

Local media

Includes local press, council newsletter, other local newsletters, radio, media platforms. They give information, although can be used to gather views as well

General public, specific community groups, interest groups

Yes

Yes

Leaflets/brochures and printed media

Summary information can be provided in the form of leaflets and brochures. They give information and may invite comments. Can also be produced as an electronic document

General public, any interested parties, community groups etc

Yes

No

Exhibitions/ displays/ road shows

Opportunity for proposals to be displayed, illustrative plans shown, feedback to be gathered. They can give information prior to gathering views. Useful venues would be community centres/ halls, drop-in centres, supermarket foyers, shopping centres, etc

General public, geographical communities

Yes

Yes

Formal written consultation i.e. surveys

Questionnaires are a way of gathering views making it easier than ever before. Good for gathering a lot of data quite quickly, return rates can be quite low and they have to be well designed which can be expensive

General public, sample of different cross sections of the community

Yes

No

One to one meetings with interested parties

Can be used to pinpoint very specific issues for specific interested parties. Such as community group representatives or public bodies/agencies

Public bodies, statutory consultees, interest groups

Yes

Yes

Open meetings or public meetings

These are opportunities for members of the public to get information and ask questions

General public

Yes

Yes

Focus Groups, facilitated discussion groups

Used to focus in on a specific issue and bring together experts on that subject to consider finer detail or big issues. They are usually quite tightly structured around three or four key questions

Sample of general public, specialists and experts, interest group representatives, community representatives

Yes

Yes

Participative Workshops or Walkabouts, tailored approaches

These are hands-on approaches using methods designed to encourage discussion and enable participation. It is also possible to do online workshops and use new digital techniques

Representatives of general public, community groups, interest groups, professionals, any interested parties

Yes

Yes

Neighbourhood level groups/ residents' groups pre-existing groups

This is a good way of ensuring continuing community involvement, as it can encourage such groups to address planning as a regular agenda item, as well as providing a forum to which presentations, consultation documents and so on can be taken and discussed.

Geographical communities, interest groups

Yes

Yes

Surgeries

These provide the opportunity to display proposals and plans, but with the additional opportunity for local people to discuss issues and options.

Community representatives, general public, geographical communities

Yes

Yes

Conferences and seminars

These can be useful in the planning context as both learning and participation activities. A range of expert facilitators can be used to give information and facilitate discussion or activity around a particular issue.

Any interested party, representatives of community groups, interest groups, public bodies and so on

Yes

No

Open space workshops

Open Space workshops are non-structured sessions where participants choose the subject to be considered, and experts help to facilitate discussion and activities. Useful for inspiring interest in planning generally

Communities, community and interest groups, individuals

Yes

No

Open days/ fun days

These tend to be family focused days where the real attraction to participants is the 'fun' element. It is a good way of getting people to attend an event where other tools can then be utilised to get people to focus on planning issues.

All interested parties, general public

Yes

No

Question time session

Similar to surgeries, there is usually a panel of impartial experts who can answer questions and provide information.

Communities, interest groups, individuals

Yes

No

Assistive and predictive technology

Utilising IT techniques to improve readability for particular groups

Individuals, general public, community organisations

Yes

Yes